Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the inability for your dog to hold their urine. They may leak a few drops or lose control completely. It has nothing to do with being housebroken as it is entirely accidental. My dog has the most trouble while sleeping. Copaiba Oil Copaiba (or copal) oil is an essential oil, which comes from trees in South America. The Animal Desk Reference sites copaiba oil as a treatment for incontinence. It has worked well for my 50 lbs boxer mix. Application As with all medications, always start with a low dose and slowly increase as necessary. Just because it is natural does not mean it cannot cause harm. Using too much of any essential oil too fast can cause detox effects. Also when increasing the dose, I got the best results from giving it multiple times per day rather than all at once. Internally: One to two drops of high quality/therapeutic grade copaiba oil in her food twice a day was the ideal dose for my 50 lbs dog. Use your dog's weight to estimate your target dose and slowly work up to it or stop before if it is working. If your dog is currently taking Proin, I suggest weening your dog off Proin and on to copaiba oil (give low doses of both for several days or weeks before stopping Proin). My results were much better that way. If you have, say a 25 lbs dog, you may estimate your target dose to be half a drop twice a day. To do this, you would mix the copaiba oil 50/50 with a carrier oil. I recommend using olive oil or coconut oil as these are also good for your dog's skin. Topically: Use the petting technique. Put the desired dose in your hand and wipe it down your dog's back. I've tried this and it works. However, I prefer giving it internally so I don't waste what is left on my hand. Pros of Copaiba Oil * Easy to give: From what I've read, most dogs will eat it in their food without a problem. Mine does. You can also put it on a dry dog biscuit, let it soak in, then give it to your dog. * Allergy aid: The severity of my dog's allergies (itching and sneezing) decreased dramatically. * Pain: Copaiba oil is also a natural anti-inflammatory. Cons of Copaiba Oil * Often must be given two to three times per day. I already had to do that with Proin so wasn't a big deal to me. * It is not cheap. A 15 mL bottle of therapeutic grade oil can be as much as $45. Since you're using such small amounts, it will last a while (almost 4 months for my 50 lbs dog, so about $12 per month). There are much cheaper forms out there but are likely less effective as they are diluted, harvested differently, or from a different tree species. Cheaper forms may also be harmful because of these differences. Check the label closely and research the company you're buying it from. If you have to use a cheaper brand, do NOT give internally and keep in mind it may not work. Corn Silk DogAware.com claims corn silk is the most common herbal treatment for incontinence. "It contains mucilage and has astringent properties. It supports normal flow of urine because it can tighten and strengthen the bladder lining and smooth-muscle tissues of the urinary tract." Long term use may be necessary to start seeing improvement. Saw Palmetto Saw palmetto "supports bladder control by strengthening and nourishing the smooth-muscle tissues of the urinary tract. In addition, it strengthens the prostate and normalizes sex hormone levels." Long term use may be necessary. Other Possibilities Oatstraw, plantain, and the herbs: wild yam, horsetail, uva ursi, marshmallow, yarrow, and rashberry leaf. Parsley Parsley seems clearly related to incontinence but some sites say it cures it while others say it causes it. Most of the "cure it" sites were forums so I'm leaning toward it causing incontinence. It may also be something that depends on the dog. Celery DogAware.com says celery is a diuretic and therefore may make incontinence worse. Grains DogAware.com also claims grains will sometimes cause incontinence. Proin Proin is most commonly prescribed to dogs with incontinence, and was previously marketed as the weight loss supplement, Dexatrim. Dexatrim was pulled from the market as it was found to cause strokes in humans but believed safe for dogs. As with all drugs, Proin has side effects. The most common, severe side effects I've heard in dogs are seizures, high blood pressure leading to heart attack, and drug interactions (such as with NSAIDs, anti-depressants, aspirin, and Rimadyl). Fortuantely, I did not experience any of that. Proin eventually just quit working. We kept having to increase the dose until we couldn't anymore. Category:Incontinence Category:Essential oils Category:Grains Category:Copaiba oil Category:Parsley Category:Corn silk Category:Celery Category:Proin __INDEX__ Category:Natural remedies